SIGULDA, Latvia (AP) — Tomass Dukurs got his first World Cup victory on his home track nearly 18 years ago, and hadn’t won another race since.
Until Friday.
Back on home ice, he held off his brother — 59-time World Cup race winner Martins Dukurs — for a victory nearly two decades in the making. Tomass Dukurs finished his two runs in 1 minute, 41.36 seconds, and Martins Dukurs crossed the line in 1:41.42.
Tomass Dukurs also won at Sigulda in 2004, but because of virus-related concerns, there was hardly any fans at the track to see his victory Friday.
“We are a bit sad that we are competing without fans,” he said. “That’s a big shame. But maybe next year.”
South Korea’s Seunggi Jung got his first World Cup medal, finishing third in 1:41.73. For the U.S. men, who have struggled all season, Austin Florian was 24th and Andrew Blaser was 28th.
In the women’s race, Austria’s Janine Flock got the win in 1:44.64 and moved into second place in the World Cup overall standings. Russia’s Yulia Kanakina was second in 1:44.81 and World Cup leader Kimberley Bos of the Netherlands was third in 1:44.98.
Americans Katie Uhlaender and Megan Henry were 10th and 11th, respectively, and Kelly Curtis placed 20th.
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